Use case
eSignature for freelancers: get the yes and the deposit in one message
For a freelancer, the gap between "sounds good" and a signed contract with a deposit paid is where projects stall. Closing that gap in one step, on the client's phone, is what e-signatures are for.
Why the contract step loses freelancers work
The pattern is familiar. A call goes well, the client says yes, you promise to send the contract. You send a PDF, they mean to print and sign it, a week passes, and the project start slips or the client cools off. Then the deposit invoice goes out separately and starts its own wait.
Every step between agreement and payment is a chance for the project to stall. E-signatures cut out the printing and scanning; Sign & Pay cuts out the separate invoice.
Sending a contract the way clients actually respond
- Write the contract as you normally do, and export it as a PDF.
- Upload it and add your client. For a simple contract, Quick Send places a signature and date field for them automatically.
- Add the deposit (Business plan): an amount and a currency, paid by the client as the last step of signing.
- Send, and share the link where they will see it. Email goes automatically; if your client lives on WhatsApp, share the same link there from the document's page.
- Countersign. If you want to sign after the client, make signing sequential so you are invited once they have finished.
When it is done, both of you receive the signed PDF, the deposit is in your account, and you can start work.
Small things that matter for a one-person business
- No envelope counting. Paid plans have no limit to watch, so a busy month does not cost extra.
- Flat price. $9 a month for unlimited signing, or $19 for Sign & Pay and signing order, instead of per-seat pricing built for teams.
- Mistakes are cheap. Sent the contract to the client's old email? Correct the address; the old link stops working.
- Proof if it is ever needed. Each document has an audit trail of views and signatures, and the signed PDF has a verification code the client, or anyone, can check.
- Your records follow you. Export every contract and its audit trail as a ZIP for your accountant or your own backup.
When clients send you the contract
Sometimes the client sends the paperwork: an NDA, a supplier form, a framework agreement. To sign it yourself and send it back, use the free Sign PDF tool, which works in your browser without an account or upload.
Which plan
Start free: three documents a month, every month. When you are signing up more clients than that, Personal removes the count; Business adds the deposit at signing and costs less per year than chasing one late invoice. Compare the plans on the pricing page, or read how Salsox compares with PandaDoc if you also need proposal templates.
Frequently asked questions
What should a freelance contract include before I send it for signature?
At minimum: the scope of work, deliverables and deadlines, the fee and payment schedule, revision limits, who owns the work, and how either side can end the agreement. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can my client pay the deposit when they sign?
Yes, on the Business plan. Set the deposit on the contract; the client pays by card through Stripe, or by card or mobile money through Paystack where it is available, as the last step of signing. The money goes to your own account.
Is the free plan enough for a freelancer?
If you sign up three clients or fewer a month, it may be. It sends 3 documents a month with the full signing experience. The free PDF tools also let you sign documents clients send you.
What if my client is not technical?
They need nothing but the link. No account, no app; it works on a phone, and you can send the link by WhatsApp or SMS if they do not check email.
Keep exploring
- Business eSignaturesE-signatures for small businesses: collect a deposit with the contract, set signing order and approvers, and keep sealed PDFs with an audit certificate.
- vs PandaDocSalsox vs PandaDoc: a focused e-signature tool against a document automation suite for proposals and quotes. Pricing basis, features and who each suits.
- Free eSignatureSign PDFs free in your browser and send 3 documents a month for signature on a free account. What the free plan includes, its limits, and what paid plans add.
- Sign PDFSign a PDF online for free: draw, type or upload your signature, place it with the date, and download. Your file never leaves your device. No account.
- PricingFree, Personal and Business plans, with no envelope counting on paid plans.
Send your first document for signature
A free account sends 3 documents a month for signature. Signers need no account, and every step is recorded in an audit trail.